executive summary - City of Toronto

executive summary scarborough centre > public space + streetscape master plan

The Challenge Scarborough Centre has many of the ingredient parts for a successful and meaningful Centre—a significant resident and employment population; ready access to higher order transit; a focal civic presence; retail, institutional, entertainment and recreational facilities, natural heritage; both green and urban open space—yet it remains a fragmented and confusing suburban place. As Scarborough Centre evolves from a suburban, auto-scaled destination centre towards a more heterogeneous and complex urban place, greater planning and design emphasis must be placed on the collective and contributory dimensions of building development and a richer, more comfortable and convenient public realm. The suburban model of independent, single-purpose buildings set in a diffuse landscape of the automobile, must give way to the landscape (or townscape) of the pedestrian—urban streets and urban “rooms” that are framed by the buildings that face and sustain these spaces. Beyond the issue of a neglected public realm, the problems seem to be ones of scale, connectedness and cohesion (or lack thereof). The resolution of these issues will require an approach that is bold in concept and multilayered and finely-grained in its implementation.

The urban design approach The project approach in developing a public space master plan and implementation strategy concentrates on shaping outdoor public spaces to bring a strong sense of central place, particular to Scarborough. This can be accomplished by creating a pedestrian scaled grain of streets and blocks, a connected sequence of legible urban spaces, and a cohesive streetscape and landscape palette of materials and details.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / ES-1

Project Setting The Scarborough Centre study area is bordered by Highway 401 and Ellesmere Road, Brimley Road and McCowan Road. An extensive woodlot defines the southern boundary of the study area along Ellesmere Road and McCowan Road. The Brimley Road and McCowan Road corridors are major vehicular routes to and from the 401. Brimley Road includes a number of potential redevelopment sites that will influence the scale and character of the public realm in the near to mid-range future. McCowan Road currently has two grade separations at Corporate Drive and Progress Avenue that complicate pedestrian connections. Ellesmere Road has a different character on each side, with the fenced and walled rear yards of residential properties on the south. To the north are the Civic Precinct open spaces and woodlots and a multiple residential development at the corner of Brimley and Ellesmere Roads. The Scarborough Civic Centre building and the Scarborough Town Centre mall are the two dominant and enduring landmarks. In recent years, The Civic Precinct has grown considerably, primarily with residential development consisting of tall buildings with podium retail and townhouse forms. The Commercial Precinct, with the exception of early expansion of the Mall, recent development of the cinema complex, and stand-alone retail/ restaurant buildings along Progress Avenue, remains similar to its initial format.

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HIGHWAY 401

PROGRESS AVE

CORPORATE DR

COMMERCIAL PRECINCT

MCCOWAN RD

BRIMLEY RD

BRIMLEY PRECINCT

SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE SHOPPING CENTRE

MCCOWAN PRECINCT

TTC STATION ROUGH

SCARBO

RT

FEDERAL BUILDING YMCA TTC STATION ALBERT CAMPBELL SQUARE BRIAN HARRISON WAY

OMNI D R

TOWN CENTRE CRT

BUSHBY DR

CIVIC BUILDING

CIVIC PRECINCT BOROUGH DR

HAND OF GOD PARK

BOROUGH APCH E

BOROUGH APCH W

WOODLOT WEST

WOODLOT EAST

ELLESMERE RD

R

OGA D

SARAT

RD KA

C PA VD BL

The Scarborough Centre Public Space Study Area


the planning Context Within the overall context of the City of Toronto’s Official Plan which defines Scarborough Centre as one of Toronto’s four centres, this Public Space Plan takes its policy direction from and expands upon, the Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan (2008) and the Civic Precinct Implementation Plan (2009).

Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan The Secondary Plan identifies an overall planning direction for the Centre that includes a broad mix of retail, government, institutional, cultural, employment and residential uses. For the purposes of planning, the Centre is divided into four land use Precincts. All of the Precincts permit a mix of land uses although each Precinct has specific policy directives and emphases in terms of land use, physical character, streetscape and built-form objectives. 2008 Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan - Map 5.2 Precincts (with the Public Space and Streetscape Plan study boundary in orange)

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Civic Precinct Implementation Plan The following is a summary of the components of the Implementation Plan (adopted by Council 2010), which is intended to serve as a guide for the implementation of the vision of the Secondary Plan. The Implementation Plan illustrates elements on or adjacent to the Civic Centre property, which will help guide the growth of the overall precinct. It illustrates the principles and goals of the Secondary Plan and seeks to ensure a high quality of architecture of spaces and buildings that enhance the civic/ public and urban realms, and accelerate the revitalization of the Civic Precinct as the focal point in Scarborough Centre. The impetus for the preparation of this plan stemmed from a variety of proposed projects and initiatives within the Civic Precinct. The principal projects were the Toronto Public Library (TPL) Board’s proposed 15,000 sq.ft. (now 14,500 sq.ft.) branch library to the south side of the Civic Centre, the possible redevelopment of the Civic Centre staff parking deck site and the Toronto Parking Authority’s (TPA) planned construction of a municipal parking facility.

2010 Civic Precinct Implementation Plan


Report Organization This Plan report is organized into six chapters: 1. iNTRODUCTION 2. Planning Framework: reviews the planning history that has shaped Scarborough Centre, and presents the current planning framework for this public space study; 3. Principles, Guidelines, and Standards: describes the overall intent of the public space framework, articulates the overall vision for the physical form and character of the public realm, and addresses in more specific detail the public realm guidelines for the streets, parks and urban squares, green spaces, and redevelopment sites; 4. Demonstration Plan: illustrates—through the use of plan, section, and digital 3-dimensional models—one possible mid-range scenario that follows the design principles, guidelines, and standards. The projects are described in detail with supporting character precedent images; 5. Public Realm Elements: further clarifies the design intent for the streets and public spaces, to define character, materials, and techniques appropriate to the Centre, and to assist the City’s implementation of the immediate and near-term priority projects; and 6. Implementation: Identifies strategies and discrete tasks—identified as either a project or action—that the City will carry out to implement the public realm vision.

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Urban Design Framework The proposed Urban Design Framework provides an unambiguous pattern of (private) development blocks connected by an armature of unencumbered public streets, spaces and pathways that are scaled to pedestrian activity and movement and offer a multiplicity of alternative walking routes. Once approved, the principles and urban design plan—in combination with guidelines and standards for built form and the public realm—will support ongoing implementation, provide a broad perspective for guiding incremental change and present the metrics for assessing development proposals as they come forward. The following summary of the 22 principles addresses the larger Precinct level framework, built form, public realm framework, and the identity of the place. A detailed discussion of the guidelines and standards is found in Chapter 3.


HIGHWAY 401

1 / The Streets and Blocks Plan PROGRESS AVE

CORPORATE DR

Principle: Develop a pedestrianMCCOWAN RD

BRIMLEY RD

scaled pattern of streets and blocks that can be extended into the entire Scarborough Centre.

UGH RT

SCARBORO

TOWN CENTRE CRT

BUSHBY DR

BRIAN HARRISON WAY

OMNI D R

BOROUGH DR BOROUGH APCH E

BOROUGH APCH W ELLESMERE RD

GA SARATO

VD D BL

DR

AR

CK

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Existing Streets and Blocks

Proposed Streets and Blocks

2 / Streets and Walkways Network

HIGHWAY 401

PROGRESS AVE

CORPORATE DR

Principle: Plan a fine-grained network of MCCOWAN RD

BRIMLEY RD

streets, pathways and mid-block routes that can evolve into a pedestrian-scaled terrain offering a multiplicity of routes

UGH RT

SCARBORO

TOWN CENTRE CRT

OMNI D R

BUSHBY DR

BRIAN HARRISON WAY

for all street users.

BOROUGH APCH E

BOROUGH APCH W

BOROUGH DR

ELLESMERE RD

Proposed Streets and Walkways Network: Long-Range

HIGHWAY 401

Principle. Develop a hierarchy

PROGRESS AVE

CORPORATE DR

of streets based not only on the roles of each type of street MCCOWAN RD

BRIMLEY RD

within a transportation network, but on its status as an address

UGH RT

SCARBORO

street, importance for pedestrian BOROUGH DR

ELLESMERE RD

BOROUGH APCH E

BOROUGH APCH W

of frontage uses.

BUSHBY DR

BRIAN HARRISON WAY

circulation and the range and type

TOWN CENTRE CRT

OMNI D R

GA DR

SARATO

VD D BL

AR

CK

PA

Proposed Streets Hierarchy: Long-Range

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GA DR

3 / Street Hierarchy

SARATO

VD D BL

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PA

Existing Streets and Paths

4 / Frontages and Grade-related Uses

PROGRESS AVE CORPORATE DR

Principle. Buildings should have MCCOWAN RD

BRIMLEY RD

continuous frontages of graderelated uses with direct access from

UGH RT

SCARBORO

public sidewalks.

TOWN CENTRE CRT

BUSHBY DR

BRIAN HARRISON WAY

OMNI D R

BOROUGH DR BOROUGH APCH E

BOROUGH APCH W ELLESMERE RD

AR

CK

GA DR

VD D BL

SARATO

PA

Proposed Mid-Range Frontages Residential (yellow), Commercial/ Retail/Live-Work/Institutional (red) and Landscape Setbacks (green)

5 / Urban Space-Making Principle. The buildings, woodlots, street trees and other elements of the Centre should be combined to shape and articulate a coherent sequence of public urban spaces.

Proposed principal outdoor spaces: mid-range

6 / Vehicular Circulation and Access Principle. Minimize the impact on the public pedestrian realm of vehicular circulation and access routes to parking and servicing.

7 / Sustainability Principle. The public realm for

manages storm water, improves

Scarborough Centre should

the urban forest canopy, reduces

contribute to a sustainable

energy consumption and increases

and healthy environment that

biodiversity.

optimizes active transportation, the re-use of existing materials,


9 / Tall Buildings

Principle. Mid-rise or podium

Principle. Tall buildings should be

buildings should be a large part

located to minimize their visual and

of all new development, lining the

micro-climatic impact on the public

streets and other public spaces to

realm. Building heights should

give pedestrian scale, shape and

generally step away from the Civic

a sense of enclosure to the public

Centre building to reinforce its

realm.

symbolic importance.

3 storey minimum Street-Wall Building

8 / Street Wall Buildings

Residential Frontage

Retail Frontage

3.0m setback

20.0m right of way

Typical Mid-Rise Street Wall Buildings and Podiums for Tall Buildings

THE PUBLIC REALM FRAMEWORK 10 / Arterial Corridors Principle. The arterial streets should be designed as generously landscaped avenues that balance the accommodation, safety and amenity for the various corridor users.

The Arterial Corridors

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3.0m setback

6 storey maximum Street-Wall Building

BUILT FORM

Borough Drive Existing Development

11 / The Main Streets: Borough Drive and Progress Avenue Principle. Progress Avenue and Borough Drive should be designed as the main streets of the Centre

existing residential frontage

Progress Avenue

and the principal address of major P

institutional, commercial and civic uses.

3.0 m sidewalk

P

8.0 m pavement

3.5 m median

3.0m sidewalk

8.0m pavement

woodlot

minimum 26.0m right of way

Borough Drive: Typical Section

parking

min. 5.0 m landscape setback

3.0m sidewalk

8.0m pavement

varies median

8.0m pavement

3.0m sidewalk

varies planting

parking

minimum 26.0m right of way

Typical Local Street Progress Avenue: Typical Section

12 / The Local Streets and Lanes

spaces and should help form a fine-grained, continuous, neighbourhood scale network that is connected with the main streets, arterial corridors, and streets in the

residential frontage

retail frontage

adjacent precincts and residential areas.

P

3.0m setback

4.25m sidewalk

6 storey maximum Base Building

should be designed as key public

3 storey minimum Base Building

Principle. Local streets and lanes

P

11.5m pavement

4.25m sidewalk

3.0m setback

20.0m right of way

Local Street: Typical Section EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / ES-11

13 / Walkways

14 / Increased Accessibility to Albert Campbell Square

Principle. Walkways should be

15 / Extending the Mall Outdoors Principle. Create new outdoor

designed to provide safe, legible

Principle. New streets and walkways

pedestrian walkways and public

and accessible pedestrian routes

should be designed to improve

spaces associated with the

through public spaces and connect

pedestrian connectivity and

entrances of the Scarborough Town

to the larger street network.

accessibility to Albert Campbell

Centre shopping mall to extend the

Square, the Centre’s primary urban

interior pedestrian network and

public space.

contribute to the greater exterior public space system.

16 / Bridging the Transit Divide Principle. A series of new pubic routes—streets, bridges, and walkways--should be created across the Triton Road transit corridor and beneath the TTC elevated transit tracks to increase pedestrian movement and accessibility between the Civic and Commercial Precincts. Crossings of the transit barriers to enhance pedestrian connectivity

17 / Public Parks and Urban Squares

18 / Woodlots

Principle. The public spaces of Scarborough Centre should be high quality

Principle. The woodlots in

environments that support a wide variety of roles, allow for a variety

Scarborough Centre are a unique

of pedestrian uses, and are distinct yet visually connected through the

and important ecological resource

consistent use of contemporary materials and details.

and should be protected, expanded, properly enhanced, and managed where appropriate.

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IDENTITY OF THIS PLACE 19 / The Civic Centerpiece

20 / Materials and Furnishings

Principle. The Scarborough Civic Centre is a Heritage Designated Property

Principle. Employ a common palette

and any changes to its landscape setting should preserve the integrity of

of materials and furnishings in the

this symbolically important local landmark as well as respect the known

public realm to contribute to the

design intentions of the Architect of the Civic Centre with regard to building

identity and place making of the

expansion.

Centre.

21 / Public Art

22 / Wayfinding

Principle. Public art should

Principle. The form and articulation

contribute to the overall cultural

of the public spaces in Scarborough

vitality of Scarborough Centre, be

Centre should be the primary

complementary to specific qualities

means of wayfinding supported by

of sites and help to articulate the

a signage system.

sequence of public spaces.


A Demonstration Plan illustrates one way in which the Scarborough Centre scarborough centre public realm and streetscape Public Space Plan could be implemented in the mid-range time frame. demonstration plan The Public Space Plan does not require landowners to develop their lands precisely as illustrated in the Demonstration Plan but it does provide guidance for the coordinated development of the public realm. The purpose of the Demonstration Plan is to: • Demonstrate how the Centre could be developed over time. • Illustrate how the principles, guidelines, and standards can be achieved. • Provide a means for establishing and monitoring progress.

commercial precinct

civic precinct

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Key Components of the demonstration plan

Existing Condition In this auto-dominated territory, many of the current buildings sit within the space of their individual sites and contribute little to the pedestrian realm.

Buildings that Define Space Every building should help to meaningfully shape the pedestrian realm. New buildings should relate to their primary address streets with grade related uses. Parking and services should be accessed off a secondary street or rear lane. This in turn will promote and support a more cohesive and legible sequence of public spaces.

Placement of Tall Buildings Although not the focus nor responsibility of this planning effort, tall buildings will contribute to the overall image of the Centre. They should be located in a suitable manner to minimize shadows on the public realm and reduce visual impact on the silhouette of the Civic Centre building.


Realigned Borough Drive

Brimley Road

the civic precinct

Mid-Range Development Blocks (typ.)

VILLAGE SQUARE

New Village Streets

Future Pedestrian Connection

New Pedestrian Connection

TTC STATION Pedestrian Connection to TTC Station

Galler

Pavil Brimley Road

The Steps

Pool + Fountain

AL CAM SQ

Sta New Street

CIVIC GREEN

The Link

Managed Woodlot

Brian Harrison Way

Mid-Range Development Block (typ.)

CIVIC CENTRE BUILDING

Library

Borough Drive

Woodlot Restricted Access

CIVIC COMMON

Borough Approaches Intersection

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Ellesmere Road

Relaxed Woodlot

Bor Appr Inter

MARKET SQUARE

SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE

ION

The Steps

n

Improved Pedestrian Connection Galleria

Pavilion

ALBERT CAMPBELL PARK Play Area The Grove

ALBERT CAMPBELL SQUARE Stage

ry

Short/Mid-Range Development Block

Managed Woodlot


McCowan Road

Promenade

New Lane

Town Centre Court

NG


xed dlot

Borough Approaches Intersection

New Signalized Intersection


the commercial precinct

Prog

Street Related Retail Infill Improved Pedestrian Realm by Town Centre/ Oxford Properties

Potential Long-Range Development Blocks (typ.)

ENTRANCE PLAZA

Realigned Borough Drive

Brimley Road

New Signalized Intersection

Mid-Range Development Blocks (typ.)

VILLAGE SQUARE

New Village Streets

Future Pedestrian Connection

New Pedestrian Connection

TTC STATION Pedestrian Connection to TTC Station Galleria

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ley Road

Pavilio The Steps

Pool + Fountain

ALBE CAMPB SQUA

Progress Avenue Streetscape New Signalized Intersection

McCowan Road

ENTRANCE PLAZA

Internal Mall Pedestrian Streets

MARKET SQUARE

SCARBOROUGH TOWN CENTRE

ON

he teps

Street Related Retail Infill

Improved Pedestrian Connection Galleria

Pavilion ALBERT CAMPBELL SQUARE

ALBERT CAMPBELL PARK Play Area The Grove


Type 1 Streetscape View of a typical Type 2 streetscape finish, illustrated here along the central portion of Borough Drive in front of future development possible for the Municipal Parking Deck site. Details include concrete unit paving, double row of trees, the custom Scarborough Bench, and Scarborough Centre street lighting. The Type 1 streetscape is recommended for Borough Drive between Brian Harrison Way and Town Centre Court.

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Type 2 Streetscape View of a typical Type 2 streetscape finish along a new or existing street, illustrated here with grade related residential frontage and a basic site cast concrete sidewalk with raised open planter and the Scarborough Centre lighting. The Type 2 streetscape is the primary finish throughout the majority of the Centre.

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